Posted on 07/27/2005 1:03:11 PM PDT by churchillbuff
Framers of Iraq's constitution will designate Islam as the main source of legislation — a departure from the model set down by U.S. authorities during the occupation — according to a draft published Tuesday.
The draft states no law will be approved that contradicts "the rules of Islam" — a requirement that could affect women's rights and set Iraq on a course far different from the one envisioned when U.S.-led forces invaded in 2003 to topple Saddam Hussein.
"Islam is the official religion of the state and is the main source of legislation," reads the draft published in the government newspaper Al-Sabah. "No law that contradicts with its rules can be promulgated."
The document also grants the Shiite religious leadership in Najaf a "guiding role" in recognition of its "high national and religious symbolism."
Al-Sabah noted, however, that there were unspecified differences among the committee on the Najaf portion. Those would presumably include Kurds, Sunni Arabs and secular Shiites on the 71-member committee.
During the U.S.-run occupation, which ended June 28, 2004, key Shiite and some Sunni politicians sought to have Islam designated the main source of legislation in the interim constitution, which took effect in March 2004.
However, the U.S. governor of Iraq, L. Paul Bremer, blocked the move, agreeing only that Islam would be considered "a source" — but not the only one. At the time, prominent Shiite politicians agreed to forego a public battle with Bremer and pursue the issue during the drafting of the permanent constitution.
Some women's groups fear strict interpretation of Islamic principles could erode their rights in such areas as divorce and inheritance. It could also move Iraq toward a more religiously based society than was envisioned by U.S. planners who hoped it would be a beacon of Western-style democracy in a region of one-party rule and theocratic regimes.
Members of the constitutional committee said the draft was among several and none would be final until parliament approves the charter by Aug. 15.
The drafting committee met Tuesday to discuss federalism, one of the most contentious issues, according to Sunni Arab member Mohammed Abed-Rabbou. He described the discussion as "heated" and said no agreement was reached.
Parliament speaker Hajim al-Hassani, a Sunni Arab, urged Iraqi media to refrain from publishing supposed texts unless they are released by the constitutional committee.
Sunni Arabs involved in writing the charter have complained that Shiites and Kurds are trying to steamroll their version of the draft without proper consultation and discussion.
The Sunnis agreed only Monday to resume work on the committee after they walked out to protest the assassination of two colleagues this month.
"It's very important that the constitution is produced through the participation of all Iraqis," U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters Tuesday. "This is important for ending and defeating the insurgency, for having a political compact and I want to say to the Arab Sunni community that they can count on us for such a compact."
Sunni Arab support is crucial because the charter can be scuttled if voters in three of Iraq's 18 provinces reject it by a two-thirds majority — and Sunni Arabs are a majority in four provinces. Sunni Arabs make up about 20 percent of Iraq's 27 million people but dominate areas where the insurgency is raging.
U.S. officials are eager for the Iraqis to meet the Aug. 15 deadline as a major step in building a stable constitutional government, considered key to pacifying the Sunni insurgency and enabling the U.S. and its partners to begin drawing down troop strength.
If the deadline is met, voters will decide whether to approve the charter in mid-October and if they do, another general election will take place in December.
In an Internet statement Tuesday, al-Qaida's wing in Iraq warned Iraqis not to take part in the constitutional referendum, saying democracy goes against God's law and anyone who participates would be considered an "infidel," and earmarked for death.
According to Al-Sabah, the draft constitution would declare Iraq a sovereign state with "a republican democratic federal system." However, the word "federal" appears in brackets, indicating opposition among the committee.
Sunni Arabs are suspicious that federalism, a prime goal of the Kurds, would lead to the disintegration of Iraq.
In other developments:
_Gunmen fired on two buses carrying workers home from a government-owned company on the western edge of Baghdad, killing 16 and wounding 27, police and a company official said.
_Two gunmen in a speeding car assassinated a top aide to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, police said in Baqouba, a city northeast of Baghdad.
I didn't say it makes it allright, only that this is a draft, not final and one among many.
From your source:
"Members of the constitutional committee said the draft was among several and none would be final until parliament approves the charter by Aug. 15."
Uh, if they helped feed us the bad information that caused our invasion of Iraq, then they were smart. Chabadi, or whatever his name is - - the guy who said IRaq had WMDs and was an imminent threat to the US - - may have been an Iranian agent. If so, you can't call them stupid, because our invasion knocked out their enemy and has set up a government that's a potential ally of IRan.,
I think it was a noble, but misguided, effort.
I stopped reading and began deciphering when I came across the word "occupation" twice
"If the Sunnis vote in December Allawi is back in power and not the religious Shia, that is the difference between a Democracy and just another Islamic country."
Why would the Sunnis vote for Allawi rather than Sunni candidates?
Sunni or later, Shiite happens.
Excellent. I hear the Indian Ocean is a great place to be this time of the year.
"our invasion knocked out their enemy and has set up a government that's a potential ally of IRan.,"
Big 10-4 there, because we also helped set up a client state for China while we were at it.
SO you're saying the article is lying? are you saying that the draft Iraq constitution DOESN't give a special designated role to Islam? Where is the evidence that this is a lie? I'd think the reporter's claim could be disproved in a nanosecond if the document doesn't include what the reporter says it includes.
Some of the people here are forgetting what a democracy means, it means that the people of that country get to chose their government.
Reports from Iraq are that Shia are very unhappy with the moral rules of the UIA and their failure to maintain security and plan on voting in much larger numbers for Allawi a secular Shia in the next election.
The Sunnis will likely vote this time as well and they will likely form a coalition government with Allawi, and some Kurds. The secular forces are looking good for the next election.
I'm sure the sheep of Montana love that beach front property you own :-)
"I hear the Indian Ocean is a great place to be this time of the year."
Naaaaaaah - Monsoon's on.
You don't understand, Sunnis will vote for Sunni candidates and pick up about 20% of the vote, but in order to form a government in Iraq you need a 2/3rds majority in parliment and there is no way in hell they are going along with the religious Shia to form a government with them. Allawi is a secular Shia ex-Baathist that has a large amount of support in the Sunni community so they would be somewhat content with him compaired to the religious Shia he looks very good to them.
Islam won't die ping!
The Christians that are left will have a hard time - but then again they always have - ever since this satanic ideology appeared.
Thats why democracy is not a good form of government unless tempered by a Constitution, and why our founders gave us a Republic, not a pure democracy.
And the die hard NAZIs and Japanese also took the acts of the US as a reason to attack, but in the end the majority accepted.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.